Following the California Tribal Nations Summit, Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced on April 14, 2026, the groundbreaking of the first phase of the California Indian Heritage Center (CIHC).
The project advanced with a $100 million state investment in the governor's 2018 to 2019 budget. The state retained Fentress Architects and Amaktoolik Studios to design and build the center and set a goal to raise an additional $100 million for future phases.
Newsom met with tribal leaders at the summit, and afterward, Siebel Newsom joined more than 50 tribal, state and local leaders to mark the groundbreaking.
For almost eight years, I have had the honor of working with and learning from California Native American tribes across the state to recognize past wrongs, address them where possible, and establish new systems resources and initiatives to help native communities thrive," Newsom said. "The California Indian Heritage Center will be a long-standing part of this work, teaching generations yet to come about one of the fundamental parts of the state's heritage."
The center will be located on a 51-acre property at the confluence of the American and Sacramento rivers in West Sacramento.
Expected to be completed in the fall of 2026, phase one will create an outdoor welcome area with cultural and educational information, amphitheater-style seating, restrooms and parking to welcome tribal and nontribal communities. The area offers a space for all to enjoy the outdoors, as they reflect on the diversity, stewardship, expertise, and cultures of California tribes — first and original stewards of this land.
"Now, 175 years into California's statehood, we can finally say that we are following through on a commitment to honor the first people of this place," said Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari. "Having a place where all California native people can see that they are genuinely celebrated and belong as the foundational people of this state is worth the time and effort it has taken to get here."
Once complete, the center will invite visitors from across the globe to engage with and celebrate the living cultures of California Native American tribes. Tribes have shaped the center's design and future programming through ongoing consultation and community outreach, developing a statewide center for cultural preservation, learning and land stewardship rooted in Native American values. ♣
